The Portrait of a Lady Chapter 6 Summary

Finally, we get a detailed glimpse of young Miss Archer. Isabel thinks quite highly of herself – actually, everyone thinks quite highly of her. She’s intelligent, creative, and, most certainly, in the words of Lord Warburton, an interesting woman. Her pride is one of her distinguishing characteristics – though it can come off as arrogance sometimes, she is the first to admit when she’s made a mistake. Her greatest desire is to perfect herself.

Isabel’s best friend is Henrietta Stackpole, another independent, intelligent, and apparently quite interesting young woman. Henrietta is some kind of intrepid girl-reporter, and supports her sister’s young children with her earnings.

Isabel, like Henrietta, considers independence very important, and thinks that women should be able to live without men. She vaguely wonders about marriage, but has never been in love.

Isabel reminds Mr. Touchett a little of the young Mrs. Touchett.

Newly planted in English soil, Isabel is very curious to know about the country and its people. She asks Mr. Touchett if England really is how it’s depicted in books.

Mr. Touchett says that anything he’s learned he’s learned by observation and participation, not from second-hand sources. The amiable pair discusses the role of the American in England, undefined by social class.

Mr. Touchett says that English people are very "inconsistent," which pleases Isabel, since she herself is unpredictable, too.